Effect of a model of the H-component of a typical magnetic storm on early ontogenesis in Daphnia magna Straus

The effect of a model of the H-component of a typical magnetic storm on the early ontogenesis of Daphnia magna Straus at 21 and 23 degrees C has been studied. It was shown based on the rates of the early ontogenesis that the effects of the model magnetic storm from the sudden onset of the storm to its end differ from the effects of the model magnetic storm from the recovery phase to the end of the storm. The effects of the model magnetic storm depended on temperature. The action of the model magnetic storm from the sudden onset of the storm to its end led to changes in the body length in the first progeny broods.     

Anticonvulsive properties of enomelanin

Antiepileptic effects of enomelanin (natural oligomer obtained from pressed grapes) were analysed on the models of focal and clonic-tonic epileptic activity (EA). Electrocorticographic and motor manifestations of EA have been studied. Enomelanin in EA models used was shown to possess marked anticonvulsive properties.     

Polymorphism of the Serotonin System Genes in Some Finno-Ugric Populations

Polymorphic sites in the genes encoding monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), serotonin transporter (hSERT) and 5-HT_2A receptor were typed in Khant and Komi ethnic groups with the purpose of revealing possible inerpopulation differences in genotype and allele frequencies. No statistically significant differences in the hSERT and 5-HT_2A gene frequencies were detected. At the same time, the populations examined had statistically significantly different MAO-A genotype and allele frequencies. These results obtained indicate the prevalence of the site gain alleles of theEcoRV and Fnu4HI RFLP loci at the MAO-A gene in Komis and the of the corresponding site loss alleles in Khants.     

Effect of the lethal Bacillus anthracis toxin on phagocytosis and the dynamics of the change in the enzyme activity of the antioxidative system of peritoneal mononuclear phagocytes in mice with differing hereditary immunity to anthrax

It was demonstrated, that the lethal in vitro suppressed the phagocytic activity of peritoneal mononuclear phagocyte (Mph) and enhanced the level activity of glutathione peroxidase to H2O2 (GP-H2O2) in Mph of resistant to anthrax BALB mice. In Mph BALB the authors observed dependent-dose enhancement of GP-H2O2 activity and reduction of the ratio of level glutathione reductase (GR) to GP-H2O2 (GR/GP-H2O2). The enhancement of activity GR-H2O2 in Mph CBA was not dependent on the doses of toxin. The coefficient GR/GP-H2O2 was similar to the control. The mechanisms of hereditary resistance to anthrax were discussed.     

Gastrointestinal and immunological responses of senior dogs to chicory and mannan-oligosaccharides

Thirty-four senior dogs (pointers 8 - 11 years, beagles 9 - 11 years) were used to evaluate the effects of oligosaccharides on nutritional and immunological characteristics. Dogs were randomly allotted to treatments [1% chicory (CH), 1% mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS), 1% chicory + 1% MOS (CM), or no supplementation (control, CON)] in a parallel design with a 4 week baseline period followed by a 4 week treatment period. Dietary supplementation with MOS or CM tended (P = 0.07) to increase food intake due, in part, to an increase in fermentable fibre and a decrease in energy content of the diet. Although wet faecal output increased (P < 0.05) for dogs supplemented with MOS or CM, when corrected for food intake, no differences were noted. The CM treatment increased (P < 0.05) faecal score (1 = hard and dry, 5 = watery liquid), although these scores remained in a desirable range (3 to 3.5). Chicory supplementation increased (P = 0.07) fat digestibility. Chicory or MOS increased (P  0.05) faecal bifidobacteria concentrations 0.4 and 0.5 log₁₀ cfu/g DM, respectively, compared to the CON, while MOS decreased (P < 0.05) faecal E. coli concentrations. Oligosaccharides did not affect white blood cell (WBC) concentrations, but CH and CM tended to increase (P = 0.10) neutrophil concentrations compared to control dogs. Peripheral lymphocyte concentrations were decreased in dogs supplemented with MOS (P = 0.06) and CM (P < 0.05). Chicory and MOS alter faecal microbial populations and certain indices of the immune system of senior dogs.     

Oxidation of glycerolipids by maize 9-lipoxygenase and its A562G mutant

Lipoxygenases (LOXs) are key enzymes in the biosynthesis of oxylipins, the diverse class of bioregulators involved into developmental processes, signalling and defence. This work was undertaken to better understand how LOXs control production of hydroperoxides with different positional and stereochemistry. A number of glycerolipids were tested as substrates for maize 9-LOX (ZmLOX) and its A562G mutant form. Both the wild type (WT) ZmLOX and A562G mutant were shown to dioxygenate monolinolenoylglycerol (MLG) and 2-linoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine (lysoPC). Both the WT ZmLOX and A562G mutant form oxidized the MLG predominantly into (9S)-hydroperoxide. The A562G mutation did not affect the relative yield of 13-hydroperoxide, but increased the proportion of (13R)-enantiomer. LysoPC was a poor substrate for both wild type and A562G mutant form of ZmLOX. The oxidation of lysoPC exhibited the limited regio- and stereospecificity. Nevertheless, the WT ZmLOX produced some predominance of (13S)-hydroperoxide. In contrast, the A562G mutant produced some excess of (9S)-hydroperoxide of lysoPC. The bulky polar heads of glycerolipids like MLG and lysoPC cannot penetrate into the LOX active site. Thus, the obtained data indicate that both (9S)- and (13S)-hydroperoxides can be produced when substrate is arranged within LOX active site in the “methyl end first” orientation.     

The Quilon Limestone,Kerala Basin,India: an archive for Miocene Indo‐Pacific seagrass beds

Reuter, M., Piller, W.E., Harzhauser, M., Kroh, A., Rögl, F. & ?ori?, S. 2010: The Quilon Limestone, Kerala Basin, India: an archive for Miocene Indo‐Pacific seagrass beds. Lethaia, Vol. 44, pp. 76–86. The facies of the fossiliferous Quilon Limestone in SW India is described for the first time in detail at the Padappakkara‐type locality. Facies (fossiliferous, micrite‐rich, bioturbated sediment with intercalated sand pockets) and faunal composition (epiphytic foraminifers, seagrass feeding Smaragdia gastropods, bioimmuration of celleporiform bryozoan colonies) indicate a seagrass environment. The large discoidal archaiasin foraminifer Pseudotaberina malabarica, in particular, is considered as a proxy for seagrass communities. Recent seagrasses have their centre of generic richness in the Indo‐Pacific where they cover wide areas in the tidal and shallow sub‐tidal zones. However, their geological record is only fragmentary and their palaeobiogeographic distribution has a big stratigraphical gap in the Miocene Western Indo‐Pacific region. The described nannoplankton flora and planktonic foraminifers from the Quilon Formation demonstrate that the deposition of the studied seagrass bed occurred in nannoplankton biozone NN3. This timing suggests formation during the closure of the Tethyan Seaway. The Quilon Limestone is thus an early Western Indo‐Pacific seagrass bed and an important step in reconstructing the history of seagrass communities. □Quilon Formation, Pseudotaberina malabarica, seagrass facies, Burdigalian, Indo‐Pacific.     

Lateral meristems of higher plants: Phytohormonal and genetic control

Lateral meristems (pericycle, procambium and cambium, phellogen) are positioned in parallel to the lateral surface of the organ, where they are present, and produce concentric layers of undifferentiated cells. Primary lateral meristems, procambium and pericycle, arise during embryogenesis; secondary lateral meristems, cambium and phellogen, — during post embryonic development. Pericycle is most pluripotent plant meristem, as it may give rise to a variety of other types of meristems: lateral meristems (cambium, phellogen), apical meristems of lateral roots, and also shoot meristems during plant in vitro regeneration. Procambium and cambium developing from it give rise to the vascular tissues of the stems and roots, ensuring their thickening. The review considers the genetic control of lateral meristem development and the role of phytohormones in the control of their activities.     

Inheritance of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">ps</Emphasis> mutation in sugar beet

Genetic analysis of the inheritance of mutation ps in sugar beet was conducted. This mutation causes the meiotic abnormalities leading to the development of diploid pollen grains and influences several other morphological traits, namely, annual or biennial habit, stem color, and aggregation of pollen grains into tetrads, which are controlled by the genes B, Stc, and ap, respectively. The literature data on the linkage of genes B and Stc were confirmed; the obtained recombination coefficient between these genes amounts to 15.0 ± 3.6%. It was demonstrated that gene ap was inherited independently of genes B and Stc. Statistical analysis of the data shows that the mutation ps is recessive and is inherited independently of the mutation ap but in a linked manner with the traits development habit and stem color. The conclusion is made that a gene with a strong phenotypic effect that determines the development of the phenotype characteristic of mutation ps is located in the first linkage group near genes B and Stc.